Kerr, Warriors give Kuminga ‘green light’ to shoot 3-pointers

Kerr, Warriors give Kuminga ‘green light’ to shoot 3-pointers originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO – As the payoff from Jonathan Kuminga’s summer of development becomes evident, the 22-year-old forward has earned a reward from Warriors coach Steve Kerr.

Kuminga now has a “green light” for his 3-point shot.

“That’s what I’ve been telling him,” Kerr said Thursday after practice. “We want that shot. We want him, if he’s open, to let it fly.”

This comes after three seasons in which Kuminga’s offensive game has been defined mostly by using his elite athleticism to drive toward the rim, whether in halfcourt sets or transition. He led Golden State in dunks with 138 but shot only 32.1 percent beyond the arc.

When Kerr and Kuminga met at the end of last season, the offseason directive was clear: Work on the 3-ball, tighten it, quicken it, get a natural feel for it and shoot it with confidence.

Or, as Kuminga described, last week: “Being a full, complete player.”

He appears to be getting there after three years of numerous lessons, countless hours of labor, sheer determination – and a modicum of friction between player and coach.

Kerr has made it clear he wants the Warriors to play fast. Run at every opportunity. Shoot quickly or pass the ball to a teammate. The goal is to exhaust defenses in search of an open shot. And to launch that open look without hesitation.

“The game has to keep going,” Kerr said. “The biggest issue that we can run into is if we have an open shot and don’t take it. In the NBA, the window closes fast. And then the shot clock starts winding down. Then you’re jeopardizing your transition defense because you have to take a bad shot.

“So. we’re really emphasizing to JK – to all our guys, really – if you’re open, let it fly. And as we continue to build more continuity with our stuff that we’re executing I think we’ll get better at that.”

Kuminga took seven 3-pointers Wednesday in Golden State’s preseason win over the Sacramento Kings. He made four. Though he has made four triples several times in regular-season games, Kuminga has attempted seven or…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/kerr-warriors-kuminga-green-light-230427601.html

Author : NBC Sports BayArea

Publish date : 2024-10-10 23:04:27

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